Afghanistan tour of Australia: Afghanistan’s first-ever Test against Australia on after Taliban approval – Afghanistan are all set to play their first Test since the Taliban takeover. Rashid Khan & Co will travel to Australia to play a one-off Test after the Taliban approved the team’s proposed Australia tour. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chief Executive confirmed the development.
“We have got approval to send the team to Australia,” chief executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board Hamid Shinwari told AFP.
During their first stint in power, before they were ousted in 2001, the Taliban banned most forms of entertainment — including many sports — and stadiums were used as public execution venues.
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Afghanistan tour of Australia: The hardline Islamists do not mind cricket, however, and the game is popular among many fighters.
They have also promised to enforce a less strict version of Islamic law this time, after seizing the capital Kabul last month.
The Test match, to be played in Hobart from November 27-December 1, was scheduled for last year but was put off due to the Covid-19 pandemic and international travel restrictions. It will be Afghanistan’s first Test in Australia.
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Afghanistan tour of Australia: Before the Australia tour, the Afghanistan team will feature in the T20 World Cup, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from October 17-November 15.
Shinwari also confirmed Afghanistan’s Under-19 cricket team will tour Bangladesh for a bi-lateral later this month.
Afghanistan tour of Australia: Since the evacuation of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan after the Taliban swept into Kabul last month there were fears that cricket and other sports would be hit.
But ACB officials categorically said that cricket was supported by the Taliban.
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